Thrive Nut Bar

     I have a new fave in the Nut Bar world.  How do I love thee, let me count the ways~USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Kosher, Vegan and Low-Glycemic.  May I introduce Thrive Ginger Lemon by GoMacro.com .  It is powered by superfoods with ingredients that are grown not made, and filled with plant based protein.  And did I mention there are five other fabulous flavors to choose from!?  Try all 6 and let me know your new #1, and because I'm so nice and REALLY want you to try these for yourself, all my readers will receive 30% off of their own Thrive purchase at GoMacro.com, use this one time use coupon code Thrive30.  What more could you ask for in a Bar!?  In good heallth, paige  :)

Maple Butternut Gorgonzola Salad

     When I start roasting squash it reminds me it's time to pull out my sweaters, scarfs and winter coats.  Then when I combine that with Walnuts, Gorgonzola and a sweet Balsamic Vinegar it reminds me I'm happy to be alive.  I love the beginning of Seasons and how our taste buds follow suit, such is the case with my Maple Butternut Gorgonzola Salad.  This can be served as a side dish or main course topped with grilled Chicken or Salmon.  Either way, this is such a winner that it's not to be missed, regardless the outside temperatures.  :)

Ingredients~
Large Butternut Squash (2-3 pounds, 3 is best)~trimmed, seeded and diced (beg your produce guy to do it for you)
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dash Salt, I like Pink Himalayan
Dash Pepper
Dash Garlic Powder
Dash Onion Powder
Dash Cayenne Pepper
1/3 cup chopped Walnuts
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
5oz Arugula
2oz Gorgonzola crumbles

     Toss Butternut Squash cubes with Olive Oil and spread on foil lined cookie sheet, sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Cayenne to taste.  Roast for an hour at 400, after 30 minutes remove and flip over and continue roasting another 30 minutes.  Last 5 minutes of roasting, add chopped Walnuts to foil lined cookie sheet and toast for remaining 5 minutes.  Remove Squash and Walnuts and cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, bring Vinegar to simmer, stir in Maple Syrup and simmer for about 5 minutes stirring constantly, or til slightly thickened, set aside.  Add Arugula to large bowl, top with cooled Squash in center, sprinkle with toasted Walnuts and Gorgonzola.  Drizzle with thickened Vinegar.  Enjoy  :)

Maple Brown Sugar Donuts

     Although I technically created this recipe in October, these are too good to be restricted to Fall.  A little touch of Maple Syrup should be enjoyed all year round, it reminds you of Football, Scarecrows and Hay Bales with all the traditions of cooler weather.  Each of these hearty Maple Brown Sugar Donuts are only 157 calories, 7g net carbs and 9g protein.  The biggest decision will be to decide if one or two are considered a serving...either way, I don't care if you have them with Apple Cider or Hot Chocolate, just make sure to get these in your life atleast once this month!

Ingredients for 6 Donuts~
1/2 cup 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 packet Fleischmann's Rapid Rise
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2 Tablespoons Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil, melted
1 jumbo Egg
1 scoop Quest Salted Caramel Protein Powder
1/4 cup Betterbody Foods Coconut Flour
1/4 Swerve Confectioners Erythritol
2 Tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Betterbody Foods Vanilla (or sub with Maple extract)
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1/2 scoop Quest Salted Caramel Protein Powder
3 Tablespoons Swerve Confectioners Erythritol
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon of Sprinkles

     Heat Almond Milk from first set of ingredients for 30 seconds in microwave, or til warm, stir in Maple Syrup and Yeast~let activate for 10-15 minutes.  Stir together second set of ingredients and blend in Yeast mixture til well incorporated.  Let rest in bowl covered with a hand towel for one hour to let rise.  Spray Donut Pan with Coconut Oil or Pam and divide dough equally between 6 slots, bake at 375 for 11 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix third set of ingredients til smoothly blended except Sprinkles, set aside.  After Donuts have cooled, dip the tops in the bowl of Glaze and garnish with Sprinkles.  Enjoy  :)

Chocolate Spider Cookies

     Don't be scurred...it's just a Chocolate Spider Cookie, they are not real!  Well, actually they are real...real good that is!  Wanna add a little fun to a Fall get together, then whip these 8 legged creatures to life.  You will be the talk of the Party, and no one will ever know they are healthy...well, you will...shhhhh!  Each of these 10 cookies are only 110 calories, 4.5g net carbs and 5.7g protein.  Hello Halloween!  :)

Ingredients for 10 Spiders~
1 cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Powder
1/3 cup Lakanto Monk Fruit~use code Paige20 at checkout for discount
1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
1 scoop Quest Peanut Butter Protein Powder (sub with 1/2 cup Peanut Butter Powder)
2 Tablespoons 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Vanilla
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2 squares Lily's Premium Baking Bar Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate (can sub with 2 Tablespoons (120 chips) Lily's Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips)
1 Tablespoon 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
20 candy Eyeballs

     Mix first set of ingredients til well incorporated and separate into 10 one ounce balls.  Press each ball into a flat circle and chill in fridge til set and firm.  Meanwhile, put Chocolate and Milk from second set of ingredients in microwave safe bowl and heat for about 20-30 seconds, stir til smooth and add to baggie, snip corner and decorate chilled cookies with Spider legs and body, finish with Eyes.  Enjoy  :)

Apple Pie Muffins

Raise your hand if Fuji is your favorite Apple!?  I know it's mine and for good reason, it has the perfect level of crisp, tart and sweet all rolled into one red portable ball.  Some peeps are Apple snobs and have a deep passion for other varieties, ...but they would be wrong.  I know what I like and me likes me some Fuji!  I try to eat an Apple a day, not because I'm afraid of my Doc, he's actually a really cool guy and I like seeing him, I just like Apples...well Fuji's.  I would rather take a bullet than eat a soft bland Apple.  To spread the love, I decided to create Apple Pie Muffins.  Each of these 6 Muffins are only 123 calories, 5g net carbs and 9.5g protein.  I'm changing the saying to a Muffin a Day, blah blah blah ...  :)

Ingredients for 6 Muffins~
1 medium ( approx 3.33oz) Fuji Apple, chopped
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, melted
1 scoop Quest Salted Caramel Protein Powder
1/3 cup Lakanto Monk Fruit~use code Paige20 at checkout for discount
1 Extra Large Egg
1/3 cup 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
2 Tablespoons Almond Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Vanilla
1 Quest Cinnamon Roll Protein Bar, diced

     Mix all ingredients except diced Protein Bar, drop equally into 6 Silpat lined muffin tins, top equally with diced Protein Bar.  Bake at 350 for 17-18 minutes.  Enjoy  :)

Peanut Butter Banana Cheesecake

     Some days all the ingredients line up perfectly in the universe of baking and all things are right in the world.  Such was the day of inception of my Peanut Butter Banana Cheesecake.  Each of these 8 rich decadent pieces are only 245 calories, 10g net carbs and 19g protein...( I may or may not have had two pieces and labeled it a "meal"...rationalization is everything...I should run for political office...I digress).  So the next time you are trying to impress friends at a dinner party, or just in your P.J.'s wanting to enjoy a casual dinner (what!? ...don't judge), you might wanna give this baby a try!  :)

Ingredients for 8 servings~
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil, melted
1 Quest Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar, ground to coarse meal in Magic Bullet
1/3 cup Lakanto Confectioners Monk Fruit (use code Paige20 for discount at checkout)
1/3 cup Lakanto Peanut Butter Powder 
1 Tablespoon 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Vanilla
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8oz block Cream Cheese, softened
7oz 2% Fage Greek Yogurt
2 Jumbo Eggs
1 scoop Quest Peanut Butter or Vanilla Protein Powder
1/3 cup Lakanto Confectioners Monk Fruit 
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Vanilla
3oz sliced Banana
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6 Tablespoons Chocolate Peanut Butter Powder (sub with Peanut Butter Powder)
3 Tablespoons 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
1 Quest Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar, diced in chunks
1 Tablespoon (60) Lily's Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips

     Mix first set of ingredients til thoroughly combined and press into parchment lined 8 inch deep cake pan or sprinform pan.  Mix second set of ingredients except for Banana slices.  After well combined, gently stir in Banana slices and pour on top of crust, bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile stir Chocolate Peanut Butter Powder and Almond Milk from third set til smooth and drizzle on cooled Cheesecake (best to cool several hours or over night in fridge if time allows).  A simple trick is to add frosting to baggie, snip the corner and drizzle with abandon!  Top with Protein Bar chunks and Chocolate Chips.  Enjoy  :)

Cooked Chocolate Chia Pudding

     Ready for a fun new twist on cooked puddin'!?  I love combining arts and crafts with food and fitness!  Case in point, my Cooked Chocolate Chia Pudding, is a stove top project using Chia Seeds...and the end result of applying heat is something to experience ( I felt like a mad scientist...even though I was not wearing nerd glasses).  Each of these 3 servings are only 144 calories, 4.2g net carbs and 16.7g protein.  Try this out and then let your imagination run wild with other possibilities!  Happy cookin'  :)

Ingredients for 3 servings~
1.5 cups 30 cal/cup Almond Milk
1 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Betterbody Foods Chia Seeds
2 Tablespoons Swerve Confectioners Erythritol
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 scoop Quest Chocolate Milkshake Protein Powder
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Betterbody Foods Vanilla
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7oz 2% Fage Greek Yogurt
3 Tablespoons Swerve Confectioners Erythritol
30 Lily's Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips
Raspberries for garnish if desired, not included in macros

     Mix first set of ingredients in small sauce pan and bring to simmer stirring constantly, continue to simmer and stir til thickened, about 10 minutes.  Divide equally into three bowls and set in fridge to chill.  Meanwhile, stir together Yogurt and Swerve in second set of ingredients til smooth.  Top each of the Puddings equally, finish by sprinkling with 10 Chocolate Chips per bowl.  Garnish with Raspberries if desired.  Enjoy  :)